Table



June a, 1943. F. c. SCHWAB 2,321,324

v TABLE I "Filed Dec. 6,1940 2 Sheets-sh 32 fzql. 32 =14 f as K 4:4 3 33 L I I f3 1Q 25 1 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR i 24.1 25 2? 14 25 fianais a e/limb =5 7 I j 24 "3 WWW J1me 1943- c. SCHWAB 2,321,324-

' TABLE Filed Dec. 6, 1940 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hana: CAS'aku/a BY ATTORN EY Patented June 8, 1943 UNiTED STATES iATENT OFFICE.

1'7 Claims.

The present invention relates to foldable tables adapted to be used for card playing or the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a table of the type referred to, which can be conveniently used for playing purposes, and which can be easily and compactly folded to form part of the furniture of a room.

Another object is to provide a table of the typ referred to having foldable extensions on each side of and between the players for supporting lighting fixtures, and such accessories as cigarettes, ash trays, drinks, score pads, pencils, chips or the like, without in any way obstructing or interfering with the playing space on the table top.

Another object is to provide a table of the type referred to, which is stable in use, but which nevertheless affords the players ample leg room free from the obstruction of table supports.

Another object is to provide a foldable table convertible either into a furniture table or a playing table, and provided with lighting fixtures, which can be employed to illuminate the table when used for playing purposes, and which can be turned to function like an ordinary floor or table lamp to illuminate parts of the room when said table is used as an article of furniture.

Various other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the table embodying the present invention, and shown in assembled position for playing purposes,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the assembled table with parts of the table top shown broken away to reveal the structure behind it,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table, shown with the table top removed, and the legs folded to form an article of furniture,

Fig. 4 is a section taken through line 44 of Fig.3,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2, but on a larger scale,

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, but on a larger scale,

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the'table structure,

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line B8 of Fig. 2, but on a larger scale,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the assembled table, showing the wiring installation for the lighting fixtures, and

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, the table assemblyv includes a removable table top l0, and a supporting structure therefor comprising a platform I2, desirably in the form of a fiat substantially square plate, four wings l4 pivotally secured at [5 to the corners of said plate for horizontal extensible movement, and legs l6 depending from and rigidly secured to said wings respectively.

These wings l4 serve as corner extensions of the table top Ill on each side of and between players in assembled position of the table, and can be folded substantially within the border of the plate l2 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 when said table top is removed. To permit the sliding of the wings [4 into this position, the plate I2 is provided with four arcuate slots i! into which the folded legs l6 respectively extend. The width of these slots [1 is desirably less than the corresponding thickness of the legs 16, but a groove 18 in each of the legs l6 opposite'the plate [2 permits free entry of said legs in their corresponding slots, and serves to define a shoulder l9 upon which the plate I2 can directly rest in folded position of said legs, to relieve the stress at the pivot points 15, and to render the folded structure stable.

Each of the wings i4 is desirably in the form of a right angle triangle with its apex at the pivotal point l5, and is long enough so that its right angle corner 22 will register with a right angle corner of the plate l2 in folded position of the structure as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to permit the nesting of the wings l4 compactly in the position shown in Fig. 4, each of these wings is stepped with an outer section 24, disposed above its inner section 25 and formin with said latter section a recess 21 on the upper side and inner end of said wing as shown in Fig. '7. This outer section 2 t forms a ledge 26, which extends substantially at right angles to the longitudinal medial line of the wing, and which rises to a height corresponding to the thickness of the table top It, to retain said table top in assembled position as will be more fully described, and extends beyond the outer end of the inner section 25 to form a recess 28 on the underside and outer end of the wing.

In folded position of the wings shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the inner recess 21 of each wing [4 receives the outer section 24 of an adjacent wing, and the outer recess 28 receives the inner section 25 of the other adjacent wing. In this manner, the wings [4 are compactly folded in nested end to end overlapping relationship around and over the border section of the plate l2, and in substan tial outer side edge registry with the border edge of said plate.

The legs I6 are firmly attached to the underside of the wings I4 along their longitudinal medial line and as near to the outer recess 28 as possible. This construction will give rigidity to the assembled table and more leg room than the usual card table of comparable size as will be made more apparent.

Secured desirably at the outer right angle corner 22 of each wing I4 is suitable lighting fixture 30. Each of these lighting fixtures desirably comprises a vertical tubular support 3|, at the upper end of which is secured an arcuate pivot arm 32 from which a shade 33 and a bulb is suspended. The bulb and shade are desirably made angularly adjustable by a universal joint connection in the supporting socket in a manner well-known in the lighting fixture art. The vertical support 3| desirably in the form of a flexible tube is secured to a base member 34, which passes through ahole in the outer right angle corner 22 of the wing I4, and which is firmly retained therein by anys'uitable means as for instance a nut 35. In desirable form, the lamp fixtures 30 are equipped with independent switches so that they may be individually lighted and controlled, and

of the players when the table is assembled for playing purposes. If the lamps are of the indirect lighting type in which the light is thrown up to the ceiling and then reflected therefrom on the table, theupper edges of the shades should be above the level of the eyes of the seated players.

- The wiring for the lamp fixtures 30 is such as not to interfere with the folding or unfolding of the wings I4. In the form shown in Fig. 9, this wiring comprises four double wires 36, radiating from a center point on the underside of the plate I2 to 'a respective lamp fixture, and connected in parallel at this point either to a main line, terminating in an electric plug for connection to the ordinary household electric socket (not shown), or to an electric socket 31 as shown. Each of these wires 36 is alfixed to the underside of the plate I2 near the respective pivot point of the corresponding wing I4 by any suitable means as for instance a stapl 38, and extends along the length of the wing to the respective leg I6 to which it isfastened by any suitable means such as a staple 40 at a point below the level of the underside of the plate I2. The wire 36 extends partially around the leg I6 to one side thereof, and passes through a hole 4| to the base of the lamp-30. The wire 36 then extends upwardly through the tubular support 3| to the individual lamp switch. The portion of the wire extending between-the leg I6 and the point where it enters the hole, ,4I -does not interfere with the proper folding of the wings I4, since this wire portion will extend inthe slot II on the outer side of the leg I6 in foldedposition of said wing. If desired,

the lamp stands 3| may be placed directly over their respective legs through the legs.

The supporting structure I2, I4 and I 6 when folded i-n the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 forms a small unitby itself aside from the table top I3, which unit can be used as an article of furniture to be placed in any portion of the room as for instance in acorner thereof or near a bed. When used as an article of furniture, one or more'of the lighting fixtures 30 may be turned around to IE to facilitate wiring illuminate some portion of the room adjacent the article. For instance, one of the lighting fixtures 30 may b turned to illuminate a chair or a bed, so that it will serve as an ordinary floor or table lamp for reading purpose-s or the like. If desired, instead of four lamps, two may be provided on diagonally arranged wings I4.

When it is desired to assemble the table for playing purposes, the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is unfolded and the table top I 0 secured thereto as shown in ,Figs. 1, 2 and 9. This table top may be substantially the area of the playing tables in common use, and is desirably three times the area of the plate I2.

In order that the table top I0 may be firmly held in central position with respect to the extended wings I4, this table top is generally square-shaped with the corners obliquely cut to afford four long sides 45 in front of which the players can sit, and four short corner sides 46 on the side of and between players. These short sides 46 are the same length as the ledges 26 formed by the raised wing sections 24, and abut these ledges when the table top I0 is seated on the inner Wlllg sections 25, so that the table top II] is held centrally between said ledges against any movement in the plane thereof as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 9. In this assembled position, the raised wing sections 24 extending outwardly beyond the oblique corners 46 of the table top It! will have their top surfaces flush with the top surface of the table top I0, and will form supporting surfaces on which such players accessories as drinks, ash trays, cigarettes, chips, score pads, pencils and the like may be placed without in any way encumbering the playing space on the table top IO. At the same time, the lamp fixtures 30 serve to illuminate the table top during playing.

In order to assure against the accidental lifting of the table top II) from its supporting structure, suitable releasable fastening means may be provided. In the specific form shown, these fastening means are shown in the form of clamps 50, each pivotally secured to a block 5| affixed to the underside of the table top II]. This clamp 50 in the form of a handle arm may have its pivot axis A inclined slightly with respect to the plane of the underside of the wing I4. As the clamp 50 is swung into position shown in Fig. 9, it will tighten into clamping engagement with the respective wing I4. In this manner, the clamps5|l will hold the table top I0 firmly pressed against the supporting wings I4, thereby rendering the assembly stable and relieving stress at the pivot points I5.

If desired, two blocks 5| maybe secured to the underside of the table top I0 to form a holding means on opposite sides of each wing I4, but this is not necessary since the abutting engagement of the ledges 26 with the short table sides 46 affords sufficient means to assure against relative horizontal movement of the table top I 0 with respect to its supporting structure.

Since the legs I6 are secured directly to the wings I4, a player may support his elbows on the extending portions of these wings or write on said wings with substantial pressure without collapsing the table. .Furthermore, by having the legs secured to the wings I4 on the outside of the confines of the table top I0, the players will have ample leg room underneath the table top without the usual obstruction of supporting members.

'By placing each lamp 30 at the outer corner of its respective wing 14 farthest from the right side of the player seated beside it, maximum free space on the wings I4 is afforded the player.

As far as certain aspects of the invention are concerned, the abutting conformations 26 and 46 need not be straight as shown but may be of any suitable conforming shape as for instance circular. When the shapes of these conformations 26 and 4B permit the setting of the table top ill in position by a rotating movement of said table top, fastening means attached to the underside of said top may be provided to slide by such movement under the supporting wings Hi to be clamped, screwed or otherwise secured to said wings. Such fastening means may for instance take the form of leaf springs, secured near one end to the underside of the table top I0, and adapted to slide into firm pressing engagement with the undersides of the wings M respectively upon rotative movement of said table top. The free ends of these springs can seat in depressions in the undersides of the wings in assembled position of the table.

Also, if desired an additional plate may be provided to be detachably fitted into and to fill the spaces that the different levels of the folded wings l4 create, whereby the top of the folded supporting structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 will be of one level.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A table including a horizontal platform, a wing pivotally connected to said platform, and extensible with respect thereto to permit said wing to be moved horizontally outwardly away from said platform, a leg connected to and depending from said wing, and extensibly movable with said wing, and means for seating said platform directly on a portion of said leg below the top of said leg when said wing is folded inwardly.

2. A table including a horizontal platform plate of substantially rectangular outline, a series of wings pivotally connected to said plate at respective corner sections thereof to permit substantially horizontal angular movement of said wings, said wings being adapted to extend within the margin of said plate in one angular position, and to extend beyond said margin in another angular position, and legs connected to and depending from said wings respectively, said plate being provided with slots at the edges of said plate to receive said legs respectively when said wings are in position within the margin of said plate.

3. A table including a horizontal platform of substantially square outline, a series of wings of substantially right triangular shape pivotally connected to said platform at respective corner sections thereof to permit substantially horizontal angular movement of said wings, the length of said wings being substantially equal to the length of the sides of said platform, said wings being adapted to be placed in end to end overlapping relationship substantially within the margin of said platform in one angular position of said wings, and to extend outwardly from said margin in another angular position, and legs connected to and depending from said wings respectively.

4. A table including a horizontal platform, legs supporting said platform, and a series of wings pivotally connected near one end to said platform at spaced sections thereof to permit substantially horizontal angular movementof said wings, said wings being recessed at the top at one end and at the bottom at the opposite end thereof, and being soarranged and of such lengths that in one angular position they will be nested in end to end overlapping relationship, with the ends of one wing extending in a recess of the adjacent wing.

5. A playing table including a table top of generally square outline with the corners thereof obliquely cut, a series of foldable wings extending radiallyvoutwardly beyond said oblique corners respectively, and legs rigid with and depending from said wings and forming a movable unit therewith.

6. A table including a horizontal platform, four wings pivotally connected to said platform at spaced symmetrically arranged sections to permit substantially horizontal angular movement of said wings, said wings being adapted to be folded substantially within the general border of said platform in one angular position of said wings, and to extend radially outwardly beyond said border in another angular position, legs connected to and depending from said wings respectively, each of said wings having a raised section presenting an inwardly facing ledge in extended position of said wing, and a table top of generally square outline with corners thereof obliquely cut, said top being held between said ledges in radial extended position of said wings with the top surfaces of said raised wing sections flush with the upper surface of said table top and said corners abutting said ledges.

'YJA table including a horizontal platform, a wing pivotally connected to said platform and extensibly supported with respect thereto to permit said wing to be moved horizontally outwardly away from said platform, and a leg connected to and depending from said wing and extensibly movable therewith, said platform having a slot extending from one edge thereof to receive said leg in inward position of said wing.

8. A table including a horizontal platform, at least two wings non-extensible in length, and pivotally connected to said platform to permit horizontal angular movement of said wings from inward folded position to outward extended position with respect to said platform, a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings, and a table top presenting around its entire periphery three or more successive seating sections of equal length and shape equidistant from the center of said top, and adapted to cover entirely said platform and said wings in inward folded position of said wings, said wings in outward position extending a substantial distance beyond the periphery of said table top to afford auxiliary supporting surfaces for miscellaneous articles between seating sections of said table top.

9. A table including a horizontal platform, at least two wings non-extensible in length, and pivotally connected to said platform to permit horizontal angular movement of said wings from inward folded position to outward extended position with respect to said platform, a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings, and a table top presenting four quadrantal sections of uniform areas and shapes, and

adapted to cover entirely said platform and said wings in inward folded position of said wings, said wings in outward position extending symmetrically on opposite sides of said table beyond the periphery of said table top to afiford auxiliary supporting surfaces for miscellaneous articles between seating sections of said table top.

10. A table including a horizontal platform, at least four wings non-extensible in length, and pivotally connected to said platform to permit horizontal angular movement of said wings from inward folded position to outward extended position with respect to said platform, a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings, and a table top presenting successive seating sections of uniform areas and shapes conjointly extending around the entire table, and corresponding in number to the number of wings, said table top being large enough to cover entirely said platform and said wings in inward folded position of said wings, and said wings in outward position being symmetrically arranged around said table top and extending a substantial distance beyond the periphery thereof and between adjoining seating sections of said table top.

11. A table including a horizontal platform, a plurality of wings non-extensible in length, and pivotally connected to said platform to permit horizontal angular movement of said wings from inward folded position to outward extended position with respect to said platform, said wings in inward folded position forming with said platform a table of symmetrical outline consisting of three or mor successive peripheral sections of equal length and shape equidistant from the center of said platform, a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings, and a table top presenting around its entire periphery three or more successive seating sections of equal length and shape, equidistant from the center of said top, and adapted to cover entirely said platform and said wings in inward folded position of said wings, said wings in outward position extending a substantial distance beyond the periphery of said table top to aiford auxiliary supporting surfaces for miscellaneous articles between the seating sections of said table top.

12. A table including a horizontal platform, a series of wings non-extensible in length and pivotally connected to said platform at spaced sections thereof to permit substantially horizontal angular movement of said wings, said wings in inward folded position being adapted to extend substantially within the general border of said platform, a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings, and a table top presenting around its entire periphery three or more successive seating sections of equal length and shape, equidistant from the center of c said top, and adapted to cover entirely said platform in inward folded position of said wings, said wings in outward position extending a substantial distance beyond the periphery of said table top between the seating sections of said table top.

13. A table including a horizontal platform, a plurality of wings pivotally connected for hori zontal movement to spaced sections of said platform to permit said wings to be folded inwardly into an endless end-to-end series or outwardly beyond the outline of said platform, legs depending from said wings respectively and extensibly movable therewith, and a table top adapted to cover said platform with said wings in outward position extending beyond the periphery of said top to form auxiliary tables between seating sections of said table top.

14. A table including a horizontal platform,

a series of wings pivotally connected to said plat-v form for horizontal movement into inward endto-end overlapping relationship, legs depending from said wings respectively and extensibly movable therewith, and a table top covering said platform, said wings in outward position extending beyond the periphery of said top to form auxiliary tables between seating sections of said table top.

15. A table including a horizontal platform, a series of wings pivotally connected to said platform for horizontal movement into inward endto-end overlapping relationship, each of said wings being recessed at the top at one end and at the bottom at the opposite end to permit the ends of one wing to extend in the recesses of the two adjacent wings in inward folded position of said wings, legs depending from said wings respectively and extensibly movable therewith, and a table top covering said platform, said wings in outward position extending beyond the periphery of said top to form auxiliary tables between seating sections of said table top.

16. A table including a horizontal platform, a series of wings pivotally connected to said platform for horizontal movement into inward endto-end overlapping relationship, each of said wings being recessed to receive a section of an adjoining wing in said overlapping relationship, and to form a ledge, legs depending from said wings respectively and extensibly movable therewith, and a table top covering said platform, said wings in outward position extending beyond the periphery of said top with their ledges engaging the periphery of said top to hold said top against horizontal movement with respect to said wings.

17. A table including a horizontal platform, a plurality of wings pivotally connected to said platform to permit horizontal angular movement of said wings from inward folded position to outward extended position with respect to said platform, said wings in inward folded position forming with said platform a table of symmetrical outline consisting of three or more successive peripheral sections of equal length and shape equidistant from the center of said platform, and a leg depending from and extensibly movable with each of said wings.

FRANCIS C. SCHWAB. 

